Daredevil Season 4: Charlie Cox's Time Jump Idea Avoids 2 MCU Problems

Charlie Cox's proposal of an MCU time-jump for Daredevil season 4 would preemptively solve a few big issues with The Man Without Fear's MCU return. Back in the heyday of the Marvel Netflix era, Daredevil astonished viewers with its incredible action scenes and captivating performance by Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock. After its three-season run and the crossover miniseries The Defenders, Daredevil was canceled along with every other Marvel Netflix series, but this wasn't the end for Matt.

The 2021 holiday season phenomenon Spider-Man: No Way Home didn't just bring together Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland's webslingers. The movie also saw Cox return in a cameo as Matt Murdock, marking the first direct crossover between a Marvel Netflix series and a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. Since then, talk has been heavy about where Charlie Cox might next be seen as Daredevil; Disney+'s Moon Knight being a possibility, and Cox himself has a few ideas.

During an appearance at the 2022 Middle East Film and Comic Con, Cox stated that "I don't think it makes sense to pick up where we left off." Cox elaborated his belief that Matt's next return would best take place after "a few years have passed." Cox's suggestion would be a great benefit toward establishing Daredevil's MCU continuity, and for more reasons than might seem readily apparent. The MCU's continuation of Daredevil following Cox's time-jump idea would also be able to work around two major challenges in particular.

Daredevil Season 3 Put Matt Murdock In His Darkest Place

Daredevil season 3 used the "Born Again" story arc as its primary basis, and put The Devil of Hell's Kitchen through an extremely dark and emotionally taxing story. Daredevil returned to his original black ninja costume, reflecting the dark tone of season 3 and the low point Matt was in at the time. Matt also spent most of Daredevil season 3 essentially homeless and rebuilding himself mentally and spiritually after seeming to die at the end of The Defenders.

By the end of Daredevil season 3, Matt was beginning to recover and rebuild his life after his defeat of Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio). Matt Murdock's cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, while only a brief appearance as Peter Parker's lawyer, also showed a far more upbeat Matt than he'd been when in Daredevil season 3. Charlie Cox's idea of there being a time jump of a few years between Daredevil season 3 and Matt's next appearance in the MCU could do a lot to establish that interim period as a rebound time for the once nearly-destroyed Matt Murdock. On a more logistical level, it would also help Matt's transition into the main MCU overcome two noteworthy challenges.

A Time Jump Would Account For Thanos' Snap

One of the advantages a time jump for Daredevil season 4 would offer is streamlining the timeframe of Marvel Netflix within the larger MCU. For all the talk of Marvel's Netflix shows maintaining continuity with the MCU films, their connection was always a largely implied one. Whether by name-dropping characters like Iron Man or Thor, Marvel's Netflix series didn't directly cross over with the MCU movies in any tangible way. This made it difficult to place them in the timeline of the MCU, an issue that was compounded greatly by Thanos' Snap in Avengers: Infinity War. The Mad Titan's actions brought about a number of known and unforeseen consequences yet to be determined (including possibly the rise of Adam Warlock).

With the Snap wiping out half of all life throughout the universe, it is still referenced in the MCU even after being undone in Avengers: Endgame. On Marvel Netflix, viewers never would've guessed that the apocalypse unleashed by Thanos had ever happened, with no reference to the Snap ever being made in the Netflix shows despite the final seasons all happening after the MCU movie. Cox's suggestion of a Daredevil time-jump could once and for all clear up the various show's connection to the MCU. Simply establishing all of the Netflix series as taking place before the Snap would firmly set their place within the MCU at last. While this would be a huge advantage of Cox's suggested time jump on its own, it would also set up the second major benefit of such a strategy.

Daredevil's Next Kingpin & Bullseye Meetings Would Have More Weight

Poindexter talking to someone in Daredevil

In addition to Charlie Cox's return as Matt Murdock in No Way Home, Vincent D'Onofrio's beloved villain the Kingpin also returned on Disney+'s Hawkeye just days later. The two reprising their roles so close together set up an obvious expectation for Daredevil and the Kingpin to meet again in the future. Additionally, Daredevil season 3 ended on a shot of Dex (Wilson Bethel), teasing his return as the fully realized Bullseye. With Cox being eager for Daredevil and Bullseye to meet again, and the Kingpin also likely to be part of that, a Daredevil season 4 time jump could help in a number of ways.

Daredevil's confidence that he'd finally defeated the Kingpin would obviously be undone when he learns that Fisk's out of prison again. Matt, being forced to deal with Wilson Fisk once again building his criminal empire, will have to grapple with his decision to not kill the Kingpin. This was a huge part of Matt Murdock's Daredevil season 3 arc now seemingly undone by Fisk's Hawkeye return. Matt was also likely not counting on having to fight Dex again after the latter's crippling back injury at the hands of the Kingpin. A time jump could add more impact to Matt donning his horns again against his two greatest enemies. Bullseye also returning in full costume and with some upgrades to his physiology would also make for a doubly shocking second encounter for Daredevil. In having all of this take place a few years after Daredevil season 3 (and Infinity War's Snap), Matt having to face both the Kingpin and Bullseye once more would hit harder as a double-header rematch.

With every Marvel Netflix show migrating to Disney+ (with parental controls for their mature content), the move has led to speculation that the shows might have a chance to continue. The debut of Moon Knight in his upcoming series also helps make the transition smoother for MCU shows like The Punisher that have violence and a darker tone. Charlie Cox's No Way Home appearance and Vincent D'Onofrio's return in Hawkeye have also bolstered the idea that Daredevil might be the first one up. The world will stay have to wait and see exactly when and how The Man Without Fear makes his next MCU appearance. However that happens, Charlie Cox's suggestion of Daredevil season 4 being set years after season 3 is the best idea for it in both narrative terms and MCU logistics.

NEXT: Daredevil Season 4 Now Has No Obstacles Left: Will Marvel Make It?